The Denton Hurdle Memorial rugby match honouring the former Teachers RFC and Bermuda player will take place at the National Sports Centre’s North Field on Sunday.

Hurdle, one of the best backs the Island has ever produced, died in 1985 and this will be the 29th annual game.

His brother, Derek Hurdle, was a former captain of Bermuda and Teachers as was his nephew, Bobby.

This year’s memorial will be particularly poignant, as Teachers lost another of their leading stars, Devrae Noel-Simmons, last month.

“Devrae embodied the same values and spirit for the game that Denton upheld and both will be remembered on Sunday,” a club spokesman said. “There will be a series of games on Sunday at the National Sports Centre starting at 12.45pm with Teachers taking on Bermuda Select teams.

“Up first will be the ladies’ second-team match, then a Teachers men’s second XV, including some of Denton’s team-mates from the 1980s, will take on the Rest. That will be followed by the ladies’ first-team match and the main match, Teachers First XV against Bermuda Select kicking off at 3.30pm. The club welcome all to come down and watch the games.”

Although Denton Hurdle was an imposing figure on the field, he was the gentle giant off the pitch. In his early years, he played schoolboy rugby at Warwick Academy where he also participated and starred in the Whitney Sevens. He then joined Teachers RFC where he played under-21 rugby, second XV rugby and for both the second and first teams at BAA on Friday nights

He made his break into the first XV as a 16-year-old in 1974 against Penguins RFC, a touring team from Britain. It was his brother Derek’s first game as Teachers captain.

“Denton went on to become a physical education teacher at Warwick Academy. Although he achieved the honour of captaining both his club and his country, if you asked him, the highlight of his playing days was undoubtedly being chosen the Outstanding Player of the 1984 Easter Classic.”

This match was the precursor to the World Rugby Classic and featured leading international players from Britain and Ireland who had come to Bermuda to play in that game, as well as the best local players. “He talked about that game often,” the spokesman added.

Hurdle played his last game for Teachers on February 10, 1985, the day of his 28th birthday. On May 8 of that same year, he passed away because of complications from an operation to correct a damaged valve in his heart.

Before flying to Halifax for the procedure, Hurdle had seen Teachers off on their tour to Wales and France, recognising that he would probably not play rugby again.

Nevertheless, he was looking forward to passing on his knowledge and experience to others through coaching. In his memory, every year on the nearest Sunday to his birthday, Teachers play the pick of the other rugby clubs on the Island for the Denton Hurdle Memorial Trophy.

As part of their commemoration, the club start the day by attending the early morning service at Bright Temple AME Church in Warwick. This is just how Hurdle would spend his Sunday mornings before playing rugby in the afternoon.

The club will then gather for breakfast, before heading to the National Sports Centre to pay homage to Denton and Devrae on the field.